


Choose Your Penguin

by dametokillfor



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Penguins, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 03:02:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12808197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dametokillfor/pseuds/dametokillfor
Summary: “I notice you haven’t drawn me a penguin.” Ash teases as he brushes by Hot Dad.“They never gave me a notebook.” Hot Dad replies, and Ash notices for the first time the Southern drawl in his voice. “You’ll have to imagine my... penguin.”---xIn which Ash is a penguin zookeeper, Lorca is a chaperone, and the TOS crew are kindergarteners.





	Choose Your Penguin

**Author's Note:**

> I wish I could say this came from a place that wasn't just "I've had a crap day, and I love penguins" but I'd be lying. 
> 
> This features one of my slightly wilder theories about Lorca, but is also an AU, so hopefully won't be too much of an issue for anyone. 
> 
> This is probably also 75% penguins, 20% TOS kids and 5% Tylorca.

Ash Tyler _loves_ his job.

He’s dreamed about this since being seven years old and his Grandpa took him to the zoo for the first time. His cousins were most excited by the lions, tigers and snakes, but tiny Ash’s heart was instantly taken by the penguins. Small African penguins, bouncing around their rocky habitat. He stood and watched them for what felt like hours, giggling as they jumped about and flew through the water. He was crying as he was dragged away, as Tabdar and Najida wanted to go see the pandas, so his Grandpa made sure to find a slightly awkward route out of the zoo so they got to pass them again.

(He still has the stuffed penguin his Grandpa bought him that day. Kahill sits on his bedside table so he sees him every morning when he gets up for work, reminds him why he’s getting up every few hours when he’s having to hand rear the abandoned chicks. He’s not above giving him a hug when the day has been hard, and he’s lost a favourite.)

He’s only been head of the penguin conservation unit at Discovery Zoo for a year, and he still can’t believe he gets to do this every day. His predecessor told him the enthusiasm would fade, and he’d come to hate the little bastards, but that’s yet to happen.

He especially loves days like today, when he’s working with a school and teaching young kids about his favourite animals. The class has been split into groups, and he, Michael and Tilly have been giving the little groups the same presentation all day. The first group were super excited about his penguins. The second had seen red pandas first and so weren’t as fascinated. Now he’s got to convince kids who’ve just spent an hour with tigers that his penguins really are the coolest animals in the zoo.

 _Easy_.

Ash takes his place in front of the large enclosure as the door to the exhibit opens, and in files seven young kids. Bumble, one of Ash’s favourite penguins feels obligated to let out a shriek to let everyone know he’s here.

“Thank you, Bumble.” Ash says, looking back at him. Bumble is a drama queen, and insists on being acknowledged whenever he does something. Ash wouldn’t have him any other way.

Ash looks back to his small class, and _oh no_. Behind the seven tiny children, who are pointing and giggling at the penguins, is an older man. A poor parent who’s been roped into looking after the kids, he assumes, having met their teacher, Ms Georgiou with the first group.

He also happens to be one of the most gorgeous men Ash has ever seen.

A good few years older than him, and he’s always been weak for an older man. He’s broader than Ash, but less tall. He still looks like he could throw him around a little, and Ash would be all over that. His eyes though are what do Ash in, almost unnaturally blue as they meet his. His lips are quirked up ever so slightly, and Ash is pretty certain he’s been caught checking him out. He’s also not been punched, so that’s a good sign.

Bumble interrupts Ash’s gawping with another loud _he-haw_ , reminding Ash that he has a job to do here.

Ash nods to Bumble and turns his attention back to the kids, “Good afternoon everyone! My name is Ash Tyler, and I’m the head of the penguin unit here at the Discovery Zoo.”

He’s greeted by a chorus of _hi Mr Ash_ from a gaggle of six year olds, and Ash has his big brain back on. It’s time to blow some tiny minds.

“And that loud gentleman back there, is my friend Bumble.” Ash continues, “Now, can anyone tell me what type of bird Bumble is?”

Seven tiny hands go up in the air, and Ash points to the lone girl in the group. He scans her nametag, written in very neat writing for a six year old, “Yes, Nyota.”

“He’s a penguin, Mr Ash.” She announces brightly.

Ash nods, “Yes, he is.”

“He doesn't _look_ like a penguin.” One of the boys butts in, “Where's his yellow beak?”

The boy’s name is messily scrawled and Ash can't quite make it out. He takes a punt, “Well Lou.”

The kids start giggling, even the older man snorts, as the boy announces in an already world weary voice, “It's _Leo_!”

“Not on your birthday card, it isn't.” The older man says with a smirk.

Ash notices for the first time the kid also has striking blue eyes, much like the older man. Added to the teasing, Ash figures this must be his son.

“Well, Leo.” Ash reiterates, “These aren't that kind of penguin. You're thinking of the Emperor Penguin. These guys are African penguins.”

“But Africa is hot, Mr Ash!” One of the kids pipes up, a young Asian boy, Hikaru.

Ash points to him, “That's right, but these little penguins don't like the cold. If I sent them to stay with their cousins, the Emperor penguins, they'd need scarves and parkas!”

The kids all giggle at that, jumping in with other things they’d all need, _mittens, fuzzy hats, ear muffs_ , and even grumpy chaperone cracks a smile.

The presentation goes much more smoothly than he expected it to, with the kids being far more responsive than usual after tiger feeding time. He introduces the mated pairs, Bumble and Whip, Sonny and Cher, and Pringle and Petey. The kids are fascinated by the idea of a mated male pair, and Ash’s story about them raising an unwanted egg together, who grew into Boo.

(One of the young boys, Jim, grabs Leo's hand and announces they're gonna raise a baby penguin chick together too. Leo blushes bright red, but doesn’t pull his hand away. Hot Dad chuckles at the display, but doesn't seem uncomfortable. Score two in Ash's column.)

Ash sets the kids a task of drawing the penguins in the notebooks they've brought with them, while he gets read to feed the waddle. When he returns from the storeroom with his bucket of fish, Ash sees Hot Dad knelt by one of the kids, helping him to write ‘Sonny’ across the top of the page.

Ash takes a moment to go and look at all the pictures that the kids have drawn, complimenting each and every one of them. Jim has drawn two boy penguins, named Jim and Bones with an egg in a little scarf. Leo has drawn Pringle and Petey. Most of the others have drawn Bumble, Pavel having added a speech bubble with ‘mwark’ over his head. Nyota and the young boy with the harsh bowl cut, Spock, have both drawn all the penguins.

“I notice you haven’t drawn me a penguin.” Ash teases as he brushes by Hot Dad.

“They never gave me a notebook.” Hot Dad replies, and Ash notices for the first time the Southern drawl in his voice. “You’ll have to imagine my... _penguin_.”

“You can use mine, Mr Gabriel!” Pavel says, holding his book up to _Mr Gabriel._ Gabriel forces a polite smile at Pavel, and takes the book and pencil that he’s holding out to him.

“Do, go on.” Gabriel tells him, waving a hand in Ash’s direction, “Wouldn’t want to interrupt.”

He starts drawing and as much as Ash wants to watch him, he manages to tear his eyes away from his hands - free of a wedding ring, score three - and focus on his penguins and the kids.

“Great work everyone!” Ash announces, grinning widely. Bumble lets out a loud squawk, “And Bumble.”

The kids giggle excitedly, mimicking Bumble’s cry, which makes Bumble squawk loudly at them again.

“Okay, gang,” Ash says, trying to calm them down, “So, what do you think penguins eat?”

There’s a chorus of _fish_ and Ash nods, “That’s right! Penguins _love_ fish, and they have to eat lots of it!”

Ash lifts his buckets of fish, to let the kids see just how many fish are in the buckets. There’s a chorus of wows from the kids and Ash just smiles.

“I think it might be time for their lunch. What do you think Bumble?” Ash asks.

Bumble replies with an excited squawk, which makes the kids all laugh again.

“Come in close to the glass then,” Ash says, pointing to the front of the enclosure, “And I’ll go give these guys their lunch.”

Gabriel has finished his drawing, and flips the notebook closed. Ash wants to ask to see his drawing, but he’s certain the penguins will eat him if he doesn’t feed them soon. His flirting can wait.

Ash heads through the entrance to the enclosure, and the penguins shrieking starts in earnest. He quiets them down as they all waddle at speeds towards him and his buckets. The kids are all cooing excitedly at the noises and making comments about them running.

As he feeds them, he tells the kids all about the different types of fish they eat, and they’re all amused by the idea of penguins having anchovies. It turns into a minor argument between Spock and Jim about pizza toppings, but Gabriel manages to calm it quickly. Ash hates to be the guy who’s extra attracted to a good Dad, but he supposes he’s due a little cliche in his life.

Ash finishes feeding the penguins, and is briefly chased across the enclosure by a hungry Boo who seems unwilling to accept there’s no food left in the buckets. The kids laugh as he skips out of the way of the angry juvenile, and even Gabriel is cracking a smile.

Ash manages to escape the enclosure, unscathed and gets back to a group of giggling kids. He puts on a faux grumpy face, making sure he’s still smiling so as not to scare them.

“Okay, gang, just for laughing at that, I’m going to set you another task.” He says, “You see our enclosure here, it’s nice and warm, has plenty of rocks for them to play on, and water to swim around in. It looks a bit boring though, right? I want you guys to draw a picture of where you think these guys would like to live.”

“A SPACESHIP!” Little Scotty announces excitedly.

“YEAH!” Jim agrees.

“Well, go on then, draw me a penguin spaceship!”

The kids all set about excitedly chattering about the logistics of penguin spaceships, while Nyota suggests penguins would surely live on pirate ships. Gabriel hands the notebook and pencil back to Pavel, and steps out of the crowd as the kids continue their chattering.

“So where do you think a penguin would like to live?” Ash asks him, as he goes to stand by him.

“With you, I’d think.” Gabriel replies, “I feel you’d spoil them. Inappropriate penguin treats, Olympic sized pool, penguin jacuzzi.”

“I’d love to dispute you, but you’re probably right.” Ash says, with a smile, “Penguin massage parlour.”

“Penguin happy endings?” Gabriel teases.

Ash laughs at that, but knows the image is going to haunt him further down the line. Hopefully at a time when it’s appropriate for him to swat Gabriel for putting it in his head, and ideally when Gabriel can make him _forget_.

“So, you’re Leo’s Dad, right?” Ash asks, trying to get an idea of what he’s dealing with here.

“Oh, no. No, I don’t have kids. Lou,” Ash _hates_ him, “is my nephew, my kid sister’s son."  
  
"I did try!"

"He wants to be a doctor, so he’s got a good headstart with illegible handwriting.” Gabriel teases.

“He is _6_.” Ash reminds him, “I suppose when you were 6, you had the neatest writing on the cave walls.”

Gabriel fixes him with a look then, and Ash worries he’s gone too far. Instead Gabriel just smiles. He looks like he’s about to say something, when Hikaru pipes up and asks if penguins could fence if they’ve got no hands.

“Duty calls.” Ash says, sadly, before returning to join the kids and discuss the mechanics of fencing penguins.

The session comes to an end all too quickly, and Ash has been presented with several wonderful drawings of penguins, and penguin spaceships. As ever, Ash makes sure to say goodbye in such a way that triggers a squawk from Bumble, so the kids think he’s saying goodbye to them as well.

As the kids file off to join the rest of their class, who are stood just outside the enclosure, happily chatting away about how cool the penguins are, Gabriel stops Ash.

“I’m not a fan of playing second fiddle.” Gabriel says, before handing him a folded piece of paper, “But I could probably make an exception.”

Ash smiles, “Y’know, the African penguins do have another name.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmhmm.” Ash says, “They’re also called jackass penguins. Seems to be my type.”

Gabriel smiles, and squeezes Ash’s shoulder, “Then this could definitely go my way.”

After Gabriel has left to join his class, Ash flips open the paper to see a crudely drawn picture of a shrieking Bumble, squawking out what Ash really hopes is Gabriel’s phone number.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Yes, that was also a McKirk hint. I'm slowly working my way up to writing them. 
> 
> Come squee with me on [Tumblr](http://leonardsnarts.co.vu).


End file.
